The 23-km-long Mumbai Trans-Harbour Link Project, which was proposed in the 1970s but never took off because of various technical roadblocks, will not have to wait any longer.
The 23-km-long Mumbai Trans-Harbour Link Project, which was proposed in the 1970s but never took off because of various technical roadblocks, will not have to wait any longer.
The Rs 8,300-crore project, connecting Mumbai with Navi Mumbai, is likely to see the light of the day soon as the MMRDA has decided to go ahead with the initiative even if private players show no interest in it.
The MMRDA is yet to decide whether the project will be implemented on public private partnership (PPP) or other financial models build operate Transfer (BOT) or cash contract.
MMRDA commissioner Rahul Asthana said, "We would appoint consultants who would analyse various financial models for construction of the project. But nothing has been decided so far."
Admitting that it would be quite a challenge to arrange funds for the Rs 8,300-crore project, he said, "If the viability gap funding (VGF), given by the Union government to states for big projects, exceeds 40 per cent of the project cost, then the Centre might back out from giving financial aid.
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And if such a situation arises, we will have to divide the project into two parts main bridge and interchange," said Asthana, adding that Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), one of the leading banks of Japan, has shown keen interest in giving financial support to the MMRDA for the MTHL project.
The date for appointment of consultants have been extended by the MMRDA, and as per the timeline set, the contract of the bridge, connecting Sewri with Nhava Sheva, should be awarded by September 2012. "Once the tender is awarded it will take around four-and-a-half years to complete the project," said Asthana.
He went on, "The decision on whether the project will be implemented on PPP or cash contract model will be taken only after the consultant submits its techno feasibility report to us. We will invite tenders for the project by January next year."
At present, the MMRDA is in talks with the Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT) to get their 10 ha land at Sewri that would be needed to set up casting yard for the project. The MbPT has plans to set up a container freight terminal on the same plot.
As the process of appointing a consultant is underway, around 30 firms participated in the pre-bid meeting organised by the MMRDA recently. According to MMRDA officials, the decision on extending the sea link up to Mumbai-Pune Expressway by constructing a 28 km Greenfield road would be taken at a later stage.
Mumbai trans-harbour link
The discussion over the MTHL project began in the 1970s, when JG Bodhe was the mayor. Bodhe, a renowned engineer and architect, had presented the first draft of the project. When completed, the bridge could be the fourth longest in the world after the 36-km Hangzhou Bay bridge in China.
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It will connect Sewri in Mumbai to Nhava Sheva across the creek, providing access to growth centers such as southern part of Navi Mumbai, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust, proposed SEZs in the region and proposed international airport near Kharghar.
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